Our Mission: To Preserve, Protect, and Restore Pennsylvania's Cold Water Streams and their habitats.
EBTJV in Pennsylvania
An important meeting was held 21 Sept. 2006 at Pleasant Gap, PA to move the EBTJV forward in PA. Attending were representatives from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), PA Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PADCNR), National Trout Unlimited (TU), PA Council of Trout Unlimited (PATU), PA Fish and Wildlife Cooperative Research Unit (PA Coop Unit), EBTJV Steering Committee and PA Center for Dirt and Gravel Roads. Maureen Gallagher, USFW updated attendees on the status of the EBTJV and funding opportunities through the National Fish Habitat Action Plan. Tom Green, PFBC introduced the PA Brook Trout Conservation Strategies as a guide to PA’s role in the EBTJV. Dr. Bob Carline, PA Coop Unit and member of the EBTJV Steering Committee discussed available program information and media. Follow-up discussion evolved a potential framework for developing and effective mechanism to implement the goals of the EBTJV in PA.
Proposed Next Steps
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Representatives of the agencies and organizations attending the Pleasant Gap meeting, as well as representatives from the National Park Service, Allegheny National Forest, PADEP, NRCS and PA Game Commission, should act as a statewide steering committee to guide the EBTJV effort in PA.
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Work closely with the PFBC’s new Division of Habitat Management in each of the six PFBC administrative regions. Have each of the new habitat biologists organize and facilitate regional work groups. These work groups would help to identify key areas to implement the EBTJV in each region. Work groups should include representatives from all relevant state and federal conservation agencies as well as from PATU and watershed associations.
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Create ranking criteria for potential EBTJV projects. These criteria to be used when PFBC reviews applications submitted for EBTJV projects. The statewide EBTJV steering committee should finalize ranking criteria before the next grant round (Oct.2007?). Ranking suggestions include:
-on public lands or adjacent to public lands
-high probability of success
-public access
-single environmental stressor
-managed for wild trout, no stocking
·Showcase the EBTJV at the 2008 Keystone Coldwater Conference
EBTJV Newsletter Oct. 07
Mid-Atlantic Report Oct. 07
